Best sci-fi strategy games, ranked

As gamers, we’ve fought in countless battles on alien worlds and sci-fi futures, taking control of one-person armies like Commander Shepard, the Doom Slayer, or Master Chief… but what about when the situation calls for an actual army? Well then, you need our list of the best sci-fi strategy games ever made.

We’ve reached out across time and space to build this list, looking at modern hits and bona fide classics. Real-time strategy, turn-based, grand strategy, squad-based tactics — it’s all on the table. The only rule here is that this is a list of boots-on-the-ground strategy games; after all, the troops do the dying, the fleet just does the flying. Check out our best space strategy games list if you want to command fleets of starships.

Looking for more great space and sci-fi games? We’ve also covered the best space exploration and settlement games for players who want to unwind a bit, but if you’re feeling more adventurous, check out our favorite space flight sims and space horror games too.

10. Dune: Spice Wars

Dune: Spice Wars – 1.0 Release Announcement Trailer – YouTube

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Release date: April 26, 2022 | Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S | Developer: Shiro Games

We’d been wishing for new Dune video games for the longest time, but it took the success of Denis Villeneuve’s two movies to usher in a new era of Arrakis-set games worth putting the stillsuit on.

We’re big fans of Spice Wars, a criminally underrated strategy title that mixes 4X and real-time strategy elements in a familiar sandy setting. It’s a killer pitch, and the moment-to-moment gameplay is unlike any other RTS in the market right now. Just be aware, this one isn’t beginner-friendly at all.

While much of the governing aesthetic is (obviously) borrowed from the Legendary-produced movies, it was nice to see developer Shiro Games put its own stamp on the visuals and art, too. What’s often been a muted and dull-ish universe in other hands really pops in Spice Wars; from the heroic units of House Atreides to the menacing hordes backed by the Harkonnen, there’s a nice blend of familiar designs and fresh takes on Frank Herbert’s material.

9. Age of Wonders: Planetfall

Age of Wonders: Planetfall Release Trailer – YouTube

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Release date: August 6, 2019 | Platforms: PC, macOS, PS4, Xbox One | Developer: Triumph Studios

Yes, we know, Age of Wonders has traditionally been a fantasy 4X game series, but 2019’s entry finally took things into outer space.

The result? A wild turn-based strategy game that embraces unique factions and unit design while putting its own spin on tried-and-tested 4X strategy systems and mechanics you might be familiar with. Age of Wonders: Planetfall is one of the most approachable games in this list.

From dinosaur-riding Amazons to cyborg-zombies, Age of Wonders: Planetfall certainly leans on a “fun-first” mentality, but despite that, it’s shockingly well-balanced. There’s even a compelling narrative, as you “uncover the history of the fallen galactic empire” by exploring the world, conquering new regions, and dealing with other civilizations through peace or war.

It also supports online, local, and asynchronous multiplayer. On top of everything, it’s got a thriving modding scene thanks to official tools.

8. Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds

Release date: November 13, 2001 | Platforms: PC, macOS | Developer: LucasArts, Ensemble Studios, Westlake Interactive

Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds already made our top 10 Star Wars video games list with its surefire ‘reskin’ of classical Age of Empires gameplay and lovely isometric 2D sprites, but it deserves a spot here too. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to have a lasting impact, and Galactic Battlegrounds is one of those sci-fi strategy games that always feel great to boot up for a game or two, alone or with friends.

Between the surprisingly well-rounded campaigns and infinitely replayable skirmish mode, RTS games don’t get much better. It covers multiple eras across the Star Wars timeline, too, so you can mash Gungan armies and Imperial stormtroopers together and create the battles that Lucasfilm never would.

In an age when most new Star Wars games target fidelity and try not to break the canon, it’s fun to go back to LucasArts’ more offbeat projects and be reminded that some famous IPs could stand being more flexible.

7. Into the Breach

Into the Breach Official Launch Trailer – YouTube

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Release date: February 27, 2018 | Platforms: PC, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch | Developer: Subset Games

Another entry we’ve talked about before (this time on our best mech games list), Into the Breach more than earns its spot here, too. Developed by Subset Games (makers of the excellent FTL: Faster Than Light), Into The Breach is an overlooked banger that we can’t get enough of.

Like in many other mech tales, the threat is an alien invasion, but this time these monsters come from below, not above. Don’t be fooled by the charming pixel art style and adorably small-scale battlefields; this is one of the deepest and most addicting strategy games of the last decade.

Into the Breach embraces randomly-generated elements into each run to keep things interesting and challenging even after you figure out the pilots, enemies, and mechs. It’s the ultimate ‘lean and mean’ turn-based strategy game.

And as a bonus for sci-fi nerds, the developers even brought in Chris Avellone (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II) as a guest writer to help with its original story and world.

6. Supreme Commander 2

Release date: March 2, 2010 | Platforms: PC, macOS, Xbox 360 | Developer: Gas Powered Games, Virtual Programming

Supreme Commander 2 remains one of the undisputable gold standards of massive-scale RTS games. It may not be the deepest or tightest of the bunch, but its developers went all out with a unique take on the classics, embodying the adage “go big or go home” with reckless abandon.

Set in the 39th century on the planet Altair II, an assassination sparks a tinderbox that leads to an epic three-faction war across the planet, as former allies become bitter rivals. The UEF, Cybrans, and Illuminate all have their own unique playstyles, with strengths to leverage and weaknesses to exploit.

Battles in Supreme Commander 2 are next level. Mechs, land, sea, and air vehicles fill the screen as factories and other buildings expand to fuel the war machine. The action quickly ramps up, and then it just never stops.

Some players argue to this day that the first game was more complex, and they might be right, but Supreme Commander 2’s quality-of-life changes and accessibility-oriented tweaks give it the edge in our mind.

5. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars PC Games Trailer – – YouTube

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• Release date: March 26, 2007
• Platforms: PC, macOS, Xbox 360
• Developer: EA Los Angeles

Release date: March 26, 2007 | Platforms: PC, macOS, Xbox 360 | Developer: EA Los Angeles

Command & Conquer is arguably the most iconic RTS franchise of all time, and almost all of its entries could be classified as sci-fi. But which is the best of the bunch? An argument can be made for plenty of them (our Entertainment Editor thinks it’s Red Alert 2), but this is my list, so I’m going with C&C3: Tiberium Wars.

It just feels like the perfect middle point between old-school real-time strategy and welcome modernisations, and we appreciate the effort to push the story forward in big ways. We even like the controversial Scrin extraterrestrial invaders, and kind of wish they had a bigger showing in the campaign missions, too. Speaking of which, RTS story campaigns don’t get much better than Tiberium Wars’ 38-mission offering, complete with the franchise’s legendary live-action cutscenes.

Nowadays, Command & Conquer has been all but abandoned by publisher EA, but its legacy can’t be ignored, and if you’re curious about it all, the third mainline installment might be the perfect way to fall in love with the series.

4. Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri

• Release date: February 9, 1999
• Platforms: PC, Linux, macOS
• Developer: Firaxis Games

Release date: February 9, 1999 | Platforms: PC, Linux, macOS | Developer: Firaxis Games

As a spiritual successor to the enduring Civilization series, Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri was maybe a bit too offbeat for franchise regulars, but it still carved out its own legacy by doing its own thing in a distinct sci-fi universe.

Alpha Centauri… sorry, Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri takes players to the 22nd century, when seven human factions land on the planet Chiron in the Alpha Centauri system. Once there, everyone works together and they’re all best buds… nah, obviously the usual petty conflicts break out, leading to some classic 4X turn-based strategy action.

Anyone going into Alpha Centauri for the first time in 2025 should know its user interface and pacing feel rough by today’s standards, but if you can get past those obstacles early on, you’ll soon discover one of the most engrossing strategy games of all time.

Many have tried to recapture Alpha Centauri’s magic – including Firaxis themselves, who took Civilization to space with Civilization: Beyond Earth – yet no one was able to fully replicate the original’s charm. We’ll be patiently waiting for a true heir to the throne, but in the meantime, we’ll be repeatedly replaying this masterpiece.

3. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition | Official Launch Trailer – YouTube

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Release date: September 20, 2004 | Platforms: PC | Developer: Relic Entertainment

Walk softly, and carry a big gun. We’ve been banging the ‘Dawn of War is the best Warhammer 40K game of all time’ drum for a while now, and we stand by it, but we’re also comfortable saying it’s among the best sci-fi strategy games ever, period.

Dawn of War has excellent story campaigns, extensive rosters of units across several of the most iconic factions in the WH40K universe, a neat ‘army painter’ tool to help you recreate your tabletop 40K forces in-game, and tons of skirmish maps to play offline and online.

Relic Entertainment was at its peak when it unleashed this one, and the expansion packs only made it more enticing (especially Dark Crusade). We also just received a solid remaster, which makes enjoying one of the finest RTS games around easier than ever.

With Dawn of War 4 coming in 2026 (if the Emperor allows) and aiming to honor the original, that Definitive Edition’s timing is utterly perfect. Even if you only have a passing interest in Warhammer 40,000, make sure to check this one out.

XCOM 2 – Official Console Launch Trailer | PS4 – YouTube

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Release date: February 5, 2016 | Platforms: PC, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch | Developer: Firaxis Games

If you don’t count Space Invaders, the rebooted XCOM games are undoubtedly the best alien invasion games of all time, and if we had to choose a favourite amongst them, we’d go with XCOM 2 any day of the week.

After Earth’s unconditional surrender, the aliens rule the planet, yet some remain committed to fighting against the extra-terrestrial oppressors. It’s a killer pitch, and the sequel delivered on all fronts.

With the remaining XCOM forces now on the run, an alien craft becomes a mobile HQ, and inverting the dynamic of the war (making humans the ‘invaders’ trying to disrupt an established system) made for pretty fun story and gameplay changes. Make sure you’re prepared to deal with a crushingly hard turn-based game though. Each mistake could be your’ last, and losing fully kitted soldiers to dumb mistakes stings hard.

1. StarCraft 2

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty – Teaser Trailer – YouTube

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Release date: July 27, 2010 | Platforms: PC, macOS | Developer: Blizzard Entertainment

What can we say after all this time? StarCraft 2 is the best real-time strategy game of all time, never mind just sci-fi entries, so of course it’s grabbed the top spot here. And how did Starcraft achieve such dominance? By keeping things remarkably simple.

There are only three factions — the Terrans, Protoss, and Zerg — but each has its own distinct playstyle, units, and strategies. The core gameplay loop is intuitive and approachable, while still offering a sky-high skill ceiling for competitive players to duke it out, and the campaign narrative takes some universe-altering swings as the story is told through gameplay and stunning CGI cutscenes.

Some diehard fans still prefer the original Starcraft, and we respect that, but having replayed both recently, there’s no contest for us. StarCraft 2 isn’t just a graphical upgrade; it iterated on everything that made the first game special and then took everything to the next level. We may never get another RTS like it ever again.